Floor covering and method of making same



Dec. 13, 1960 J. v. YANA FLOOR OOMFRING ANO METHOD OF MAKING SAME FiledApril 9, 195e 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Dec. 13, 1960 J. v. YANA FLOOR COVERINGAND METHOD OF MAKING SAME 4Filed April 9. 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FLOQRCOVERING AND IVM'EHOD 0F MAKING SAME Joseph V. Yana, Ushkosh, Wis.,assigner to Waite Qarpet Company, a corporation of Wisconsin Filed Apr.9, 1958, Ser. No. 727,405

7 Claims. (Cl. 139-416) This invention relates to a floor coveringutilizing warp strands of rag material and has for a general object theprovision of a new and improved iloor covering of the type described.

Another object is to provide a new and improved iloor covering includingrag warp strands spaced across the width of the covering and comprisingrags of random lengths and colors joined end to end and rolled or foldedinto strands which give the covering a striped and variegatedhit-and-miss effect.

A more specific object is to provide a new and 11nproved floor coveringincluding rag warp strands of the type described, yarn warp strandsbetween adjacent rag warp strands, and twisted fiber weft strands, theweft strands and yarn warp strands being of selected color or colorswhich give the `covering a controllable background color cast, the yarnwarp strands crowding or blocking the rag warp strands so that each passof a rag warp strand over a weft strand forms a bunlike protrusionexposing the rag color, and the fiber weft strands contributing astiffness and durability so that the covering lies flat during use andwhile being vacuumed or swept.

Another object is to provide a new and improved method of weaving afloor covering of the type described in the preceding paragraphs.

Other objects and advantages will become readily apparent from thefollowing detailed description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary plan View at an exaggerated scale of a oorcovering embodying the principles of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken at about the line 2 2. of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken at about the line 3-3 ofFig. l;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view, partly broken away, of arag warp strand utilized in a tloor covering made according to thepresent invention;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken at about the line 5-5 of Fig.4;

Fig. 6 is a plan view similar to that of Fig. 1, illustrating apreferred method of making the oor covering;

Fig. 7 is a plan view at a reduced scale illustrating separate ragstrips employed according to the preferred method;

Fig. 8 is a plan view illustrating the separate rag strips joined end toend in a single strip utilized in forming a rag warp strand according tothe preferred method;

Figs. 9 and l0 are enlarged sectional views taken at about lines 9-9 and10--10 of Fig. 8;

Fig. ll is a plan view approximately to scale illustrating a rag warpstrand made according to the preferred method; and

Fig. 12 is an enlarged sectional view taken at about the line 12-12 ofFig. ll.

While an illustrative embodiment of the invention is 2,964,067 PatentedDec., 13, 1960` shown in the drawings and will be described in detailherein, the invention is susceptible of embodiment in. many differentforms, and it should be understood that the present disclosure is to beconsidered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention andis not intended to limit the invention to the embodiment illustrated.The scope of the invention will be pointed out in the appended claims.

This application is a continuation-in-part of my copending applicationSerial No. 708,193, iiled January l0, 1958, now abandoned.

Referring now to the drawings in more detail, in a preferred embodiment,a floor covering constructed according to the principles of the presentinvention includes rag warp strands 10, yarn warp strands 11, and fiberweft strands 12 are all tightly interwoven into a at iloor coveringmaterial. In Figs. l, 2 and 3, the covering is shown at about twice itsactual scale.

Preferably, the weft strands 12 are comprised of twisted paper commonlyreferred to as twisted carpet ber, and occur at the rate of about fourper inch. As illustrated, the various separate weft strands 12 consistof a single continuous strand which is reversed at opposite sides of thecovering.V In the preferred arrangement shown, the weft strands areslightly less coarse than the yarn warp strands 11, though thisrelationship is not necessary. Y

The yarn warp strands 11 are each preferably of multiple ply yarntwisted into a single strand. As illustrated, each strand comprises fourseparate yarns designated 11a., 11b, llc, and 11d, though the number ofseparate yarns may vary, and only one yarn may be utilized if desired.When each yarn strand includes four separate yarns, each yarn warpstrand is abouthalf the size of a rag warp strand, having a height aboutequal that of the rag warp andy a width about half the Width of the ragwarp. The yarn utilized is commonly described as spun yarn and maycomprise cotton or wool, or worsted or synthetic materials.Alternatively, the yarn may comprise a continuous iilament of anyanimal; vegetable or synthetic material that lends itself to spinning.In the preferred embodiment chosen for illustration, the coveringincludes two yarn strands 11 between. adjacent rag warp strands 10, andthe yarn warp strands occur at the rate of about six every two inches,though the number yarn strands between adjacent rag strands may be moreor fewer than the two illustrated.

The weft strands 12 and the yarn warp strands 11 are of selected coloror colors which give the floor covering a controllable background colorcast which may be Varied from licor covering to floor covering byutilizing different colors in the weft and yarn warp strands.Preferably, the weft strands are all of a single color which in apreferred embodiment may be a sand or beige color, though the inventionis not limited to use ofV a single color in all weft strands. The yarnwarp strands are preferably made multicolored by the use of yarns ofdifferent colors similar to or blending with the color or colors of theweft strands. For example, in a covering utilizing sand color weftstrands the yarn warp strands may include yarns predominantly of whiteand beige, and occasional yarns of yellow, tan and dark brown, so .thatthe yarn warp strands are predominantly a beige color similar to thecolor of the weft strands. The covering thereby has an overallbackground color cast of beige. Other colors and combinations of colorsmay be selected for use in the weft and yarn warp strands so as to give`the covering a background color cast of rose, blue or turquoise, or apredominantly dark cast of black and white, for example.

The rag warp strands 10 have a generally rectangularly cross sectionalconfiguration, as best seen in Fig. 3, with -a width about twice thewidth of a yarn Warp strand and a height about equal the height of ayarn warp. In the preferred embodiment, illustrated, Vthe rag warp`strands occur at .the rateof about six every four inches widthwise ofthe covering. The rag warp strands pass successively over and then undersuccessive adjacent weft strands, while the yarn warp strands adjacentthe rag warp pass successively under and then over successive weftstrands, as will be understood from the drawings.

Preferably, substantially all of therag warp strands each compriseseparate pieces of ragmaterial of random lengths and colors. Theseparate rags are joined end to end and rolled or folded into a strandso that each warp strand maybe comprised of various materials andcolors. An occasional rag warp strand may comprise only a single pieceof rag. The separate rags utilized usually and preferably comprisevirgin rag material, that is, scrap material from cuttings which has nototherwise been used. The rags may comprise woven or knitted materialseach of uniform color or of many colors either yarn dyed or piece dyed.

The length of the separate rags in the rag warp strands of a particularcovering depends to some extent on the length of the particularcovering, but generally speaking, the rags may vary from 3 to 40 inchesin length, with an occasional rag longer than 40 inches, with many ofthe separate rags having lengths in an intermediate range and withrelatively few in the range of 3 to 10 inches and with relatively few inthe range of 30 to 40 inches.

The separate rags utilized in a single rag warp strand are preferablyrolled or folded into substantially the desired shape before beingjoined together, after which they are preferably connected as bystitching, though they could first be joined by stitching and thenrolled or folded into the desired shape. As best illustrated in Figs. 4and 5, in the preferred embodiment one rag 15 is first folded into thedesired shape, after which a second rag 16 is folded with one endthereof overlapping and wrapped about one end of the rag 15, whereuponthe two rag strand portions are stitched together by stitching in anysuitable pattern indicated generally at 17. Similar joints in rag warpstrands are illustrated in Fig. 1 at 17a and 17b. As best seen in Fig.5,V the rag strand portion 15 is preferably first doubled or folded uponitself as at 15a with edges approximately even as at 15b, after whichthe rag is then doubled upon itself again as at 15e. The rag strandportion 16 is preferably first doubled or folded upon itself as at 16a,after which it is again doubled or folded upon itself with one endoverlapping and wrapped about one end portion of the folded rag 15, andthe two rag strand portions are then sewed together as at 17. Therolling or folding of the separate rags causes the rag strand to assumea generally rectangular cross sectional configuration, which in somecases may approach a square. Normally, however, the tension in thestrand as it passes over and under the relatively unyielding liber weftstrands causes the rag strand to iiatten out to a width somewhat greaterthan the thickness, but the rag strand is crowded or blocked at theksides by the yarn warp strands so that spreading of the rag strand islimited to a certain extent.

Due to the fact that many of the separate rags utilized in the rag warpstrands may comprise substantial lengths, the rag warp strands give theoor covering a striped eifect, and because of the varied colors that mayoccur in the various rags, the rag strands give the covering avariegated appearance. The overall result is a hit-andrniss effect duein part to the Afact that some of the rag colors are predominantlydarker or predominantly lighter than the background color cast,depending on whether the weft and yarn warp strands are dark or light.Each pass of a rag warp strand over a weft strand produces a smallupward bunlike protrusion which is rectangular in plan view land whichis crowded or blocked by adjacent yarn warp strands exposing the sideportions of the bun and the rag color or colors.

Because of the coarseness of the yarn warp strands and 4the rag warpstrands and particularly because of the stiffness of the fiber weftstrands, the floor covering is relatively stiif and extremely durable,so that it lies flat during use and during vacuuming. The covering maybe rolled lengthwise, that is, about an axis parallel to the weftstrands, but will not easily roll about an axis parallel to warpstrands. A covering made according to the principles outlined will ndWide utility rang-Y ing from use as throw rugs to use as carpeting forcovering the entire floor area in a room.

Figs. 6-12 illustrate a preferred method of making the improved floorcovering. According to the preferred method, rags of suitable colors andmaterials are preformed into separate strips, such as those illustratedat 20, 21 and 22, of random length and of suitable width, about 2 to 4inches wide, for example, in a covering of preferred weight. Ragstripsrthus formed are first arranged end to end with adjacent ends suchas 20a and 2lb overlapping sufficiently to permit a joining of the stripends. The overlapped ends are preferably folded laterally to double theend of each rag upon itself, with one rag end embracing the other, asillustrated by the joints shown at 24 and 25 in Figs. 8, 9 and l0. Theopposite ends of each strip may be folded in the same direction or theymay be foldedV in opposite directions at opposite ends of the rag, thelatter being illustrated in Figs. 8, 9 and l0. After folding, theoverlapped ends are joined as by a line of laterally extending stitchingillustrated at 27 and 28 in Fig. 8. The folding over of overlapped endsbefore sewing them together reduces the length of the laterallyextending stitch line necessary to securely join the rag ends. After theends of separate rags are joined as described, the folded form isretained at the sewed joints, but the midportions of separate stripsusually tend to are or open out as seen in Fig. 8 due to the inherenttendency of most materials to flatten out.

The stitching as at 27 and 28 is preferably formed on a machine commonlydescribed as a Reece sewing machine which utilizes only one cone ofthread, as compared to machines such as the Singer or Union Specialwhich require both a top thread and a bobbin thread, the Reece machinerequiring no bobbin thread. The latter machine produces a zig-zagstitching substantially as illustrated at 27 and 28 in Fig. 8. The useof the preferred machine has the advantage of enabling a high speed ofoperation and providing a stitch of sufficient strength so that only onestitch line is required and the length of overlap at the rag ends isreduced to a minimum while still obtaining sufficient strength at thejoint to securely hold separate rags together under strenuous tensionimposed on the rag strands during weaving.

After the rags are joined end to end into a single continuous strip ofindefinite length the strip is processed, preferably in a machine whichmay be described as a spinner, through a spinning operation which servesto roll the strip laterally upon itself into a strand as at 30 ofsomewhat circular cross sectional configuration, as seen in Fig. l2,although the cross section varies considerably and is in fact ratherirregular. The rolling operation may in fact comprise steps of foldingas well as rolling. For example, as seen in Fig. l2, the strip may befirst folded upon itself as 31, after which it is then rolled into astrand.

During the rolling operation the rolled strand is also wrapped by themachine with a spirally wound thread, such as that illustrated at 32,drawn rather tightly to hold the strand in shape, and of mostimportance, to confine the raw edges of the rag material which tend tounravel easily, to thereby prevent unravelling of the rag edges duringweaving. Without the spirally Ywound thread, loose or exposed threads atthe raw edges of the rag`material' are free and in passing through theloom the loose threads separate from the rags and build up particularlyat the heddle eye orA the harness or the reed to such an extent that therag warp vstrands will not ilow freely through the loom, as aconsequence of which a high degree of breakage of warp strands isexperienced. Thus, it will be appreciated readily that the spirallywound thread is an important adjunct to a successful weaving of thelioor covering on a power loom.

After the above described operation is completed the rolled and wrappedstrand of indenite length may be wound in rolls or on spools for storageor subsequent use. Subsequently, a plurality of the strands thus formedmay be used in weaving a door covering of the type described. When therag strand is interwoven with weft strands and adjacently disposed warpstrands of yarn at opposite sides of each rag strand, the latter crowdand block the rag strand into a somewhat rectangular cross sectionalconfiguration similar to that illustrated at in Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 illustrates in plan view a portion of a floor covering madeaccording to the preferred method, including rag warp strands 30 havingspirally wound wrapping threads 32, twisted multiply yarn Warp strandsas at 34, and fweft strands 36 of twisted carpet fiber.

I claim:

1. A hat, tightly woven floor covering of interwoven warp and weftstrands comprising, twisted liber weft strands, multi-ply yarn warpstrands, and rag warp strands evenly spaced across the width of thecovering one after each pair of yarn warp strands, the weft strands andyarn warp strands being of selected color to give the covering abackground color cast, each rag warp strand comprising rags of randomlengths and colors joined end to end and folded into a strand so thatthe covering has a striped and variegated appearance, the rag warp*strands being of generally rectangular cross sectional configurationhaving a width greater than the width of yarn warp strands and passingsuccessively over and then under successive adjacent weft strands, theyarn warp strands adjacent each weft stand passing successively underand then over successive adjacent weft strands and crowding the rag warpstrands so that each pass of a rag warp over a weft strand forms abunlike protrusion exposing the rag color and providing a coarse textureand rugged appearance, the fiber weft strands contributing a stiffnessso that the covering will lie flat on a floor during use and duringvacuuming.

2. A floor covering comprising interwoven warp and weft strandsincluding rag Warp strands, yarn warp strands intermediate the rag warpstrands, and fiber weft strands, the weft strands and yarn warp strandsbeing of selected colors to give the covering a controllable backgroundcolor cast, the rag warp strands each comprising rags of randommaterials, colors and lengths joined end to end and folded into a strandthereby giving the covering a striped and variegated appearance, theyarn warp strands being crowded against the rag warp strands so thateach pass of =a rag warp over a weft forms a bunlike pron'usion exposingthe rag color and providing a coarse texture and rugged appearance.

3. A floor covering comprising interwoven warp and weft strands,including rag warp strands and other warp strands intermediate the ragWarp strands, said weft strands and said other warp strands being ofselected color to give the covering a controllable color background, andthe rag warp strands each comprising rolled rags of random lengths .andcolors giving the covering a variegated appearance.

4. A flat Woven floor covering comprising interwoven warp and weftstrands including rag warp strands spaced across the width of thecovering each comprising rags of random lengths and cotzfrs joined endto end and folded into a strand of bulky cross section having agenerally rectangular configuration, thereby providing a coarse textureand a rugged variegated appearance, and said weft strands being ofselected color.

5. A ilat woven oor covering of interwoven warp and weft strandscomprising, twisted liber weft strands, multiply yarn warp strands, andrag warp strands evenly spaced across the width of the covering oneafter each pair of yarn warp strands, the weft strands and yarn warpstrands being of selected `color to give the covering a background colorcast, each rag warp strand comprising rags of random materials, lengthsand colors joined end to end and rolled into a strand passingsuccessively over and then under successive adjacent weft strands, sothat the covering has a. striped and variegated appearance, the yarnwarp strands adjacent each weft strand passing successively under andthen over successive adjacent weft strands and crowding the rag warpstrands so that each of the latter have a generally rectangular crosssectional configuration having a width greater than the width of yarnwarp strands and each pass of a rag warp over a. weft strand forms abunlike protrusion exposing the rag color at the sides of theprotrusion, each rag warp strand having a roving thread spirally woundthereabout to conne the raw edges of rag material and preventunravelling, the ber weft strands contributing a stiffness so that thecovering will lie flat on a iioor during use and during vacuuming.

6. In a method of making a floor covering having interwoven weft strandsand warp strands of rag material, the steps comprising, `collectingseparate elongate rag strips of random lengths and colors, joining theseparate strips end to end into a single strip, rolling the single striplaterally upon itself into a strand, wrapping the rolled strand with aspirally wound thread to confine the raw edges of rag materia-l toprevent unravelling during weaving, and interweaving rag strands thusformed with weft strands of selected color on a power operated loom toproduce a floor covering.

7. The method of making a iioor covering having interwoven weft strands,warp strands of rag material, and other Warp strands intermediate therag warp strands, comprising the steps of collecting separate rag stripsof random lengths, colors and materials, arranging the separate stripsend to end with adjacent ends of adjacent strips overlapping, foldingthe overlapped ends laterally over to double the end of each rag uponitself with one rag end embracing the other, sewing the overlapped andfolded ends together transversely to join separate strips into a singlestrip, rolling the single strip .laterally into a strand suitable forweaving, wrapping the rolled strand with a spirally wound thread to holdthe strand in shape and to coniine the raw edges of rag material toprevent unravelling, and interweaving rag strands thus formed andintermediate warp strands with wett strands into a lloor covering.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS D.106,158 Troy Sept. 21, 1937 2,552,210 Parker May 8, 1951 2,590,995Merrill Apr. 1, 1952 2,689,813 Lawrence Sept. 21, 1954 2,807,132 NadelSept. 24, 1957

